Separation of metalliferous minerals from gangue.



No. 879,985. PATENTED FEB, 25, 1908. H. L. SULMAN, H. F. KIRKPATRIGK-PIGARD & J. BALLOT.

SEPARATION OF M-ETALLIPEROUS MINERALS PROM GANGUE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.20,1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 879,985. PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908.

H. L. SULMAN, H. F. KIRKPATRIOK PIOARD 8; J. BALLOT.

SEPARATION OF METALLIPEROUS MINERALS FROM GANGUE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.20.1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908.

H. L. SULMAN, H. F. KIRKPATRIGK-PIGARD & J. BALLOT. SEPARATION OF METALLIPEROUS MINERALS FROM GANGUE.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 20, 1905.

h Axum OMIMZ ikw No. 879,985. Q PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908. H. L. SULMAN, H. F. KIRKPATRIGK-PIOARD & J. BALLOT. SEPARATION OF METALLIFEROUS MINERALS PROM GANGUE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.20. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 4.

HENRY LIVINGSTONE suiamn,

HUGH FITZALIS msamraicnriceal), ANDJOHNTBALLOT,

- OF LONDON, ENGLAND. 7

. SEYABATION OF EETALLIFEBOUS MINERALS FROM GAHGUE.

Tn-lll wlzom it may-concern: i

Be'it lmown that we, HENRY LIVINGSTONE Summer, HUGH FI'ITZALIS KIRKPATRICK-PI- cam), and JOHN BALLOT, subjects of the King of England, and residing .in- London, England, have invented certain new and useful linprovements .in the Separationiof Metallif erous MineralsfromGangue, of which the following is .a specification.

This invention relates to improvements :in :the separation of metalliferous matter from gangueand 'has for its object to effect such "se aration by the agency of a substance has-a preferential 'aflinity *for metallif- :EIZQHS matter over-gangue, and by the agency or-othe'r gas. The substances such as oil, fatty .acid, or oleaginous, fatty or tarry substances which have a tendency to wet metalliferous matter in preference to gangue will hereinafter be referred to as Oil According .to this invention the principles .of surface-tension are 'ap liedin effecting the separation. The minera pulp is mixed with oil and is exposed toa freeair surface; and thereafter the mineral is brought on to the .sm'face of water or other liquid, whereby the oiled metalliferous particles, having been exosed'toair, are unable to overcome the surce tensionof the water and .float, while the .unoiled.- ue sinks through the surface of the water, the former be' thus separated from the latter .and remov t l by anysuitable -means.

In .one particular 'ap lication of :this inmixe with oil is dis vention the uI t e of a -thinsheet on the tributed :in

.surfaceofan inclined-vanningctable havinga transverse stream of water andcurrents of on to the table to expose'immersed mineral .to a free air surface where- :upon the metalliferous .matter floats and is so. arated from the gangue which sinks.

3t is known that every free .water surface, 11. :e. -.a water surface in -contact with air or other gas, exhibits a resistanceto l'u ture from without greater than that which is offared .by its interior mass. This phen'ome non istknown as the surface-tension of water and 'pennits small :particles of greater espethan waterto-floatu on it with- :out' its surface.

:01 less degree, but .the results are very Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 20.1905. Serial no. 248.637.

All 'quids exhibit smiface tension phenomena to a greater.

Patented Feb. 25, 1908.

brought upon the surface Of an aqueous liquid in which the oil or other fatty substance employed is insolubleor immiscible.

The resultant of the surface-tensions bethe oiled particles and air and between that of the water and air, is so increased over that which exists :between the air and water and air and unoiled particles, that oily particles of a much higher s ecific gravity in relation to water are -una le rto breakthrough the water surface and therefore float with ease, quite apart from any slight diminution to their specific Weight :by

lesser s cific gravity, but unoiled, readily break t ough the water surface, especially ifthese particles be previously wetted water. J

The physical phenomena above defined are according to this invention applied as -follows:-The ore in which it is desired @to separate metalliferous' mineral from gan is reduced to powder of a suitable de 5 e of fineness, and -mixed -with water. 0 the free state or as anemulsion, is added and the have either an acid or alkaline reaction according to the nature of theme to zbeztreated. Oil Or fatty substance exhibits the well known tendency to adhere preferentially to in water, but does not attach itself dzo-gangue or oxids. The amount of oil :used 'may be comparatively small in relation "to the .ore pulp or tothe-mineral present. It is not emvirtue of its lesser specific gravity, the :min-

it is sufficient to use only such a quantity as will insure: each mineral particle 'beingithinly thin la; ers or sheets. If the partic es beinow brought -u on or into contact with-.0. dresh waters ace, :the previously sspecified surface-tension factors are brou ht into and it will be found that-the oiled met 7 iferousparticles can be floatedoif with easeand whole thoroughly mixed; the water may 'metalliferous mineral immersed or suspended eral particles to which it attaches itself; .but

.mass should be exposed in comparatively means of adhering'oil; whereas, particleslof mixture, oil -01 fatty substance, either -in a p ployed inquantities sufiicient to buoyiupfiby coated with a film of oil or fatty substance.

int:

- completeness from the gan e or unoiled pared in the launder or receptacle K.

through a pipe L and throng ticles, the latter sinking t surface.

In the accompanying drawings :Figures 1, 2 and 3 are perspective views of three different forms of apparatus suitable for carrying this invention into practical effect; and Fig. 4 is an end elevation of a modificationof Referring to F 1, an inclined vannin table A is sup orte d by hangers B froma fixed framework An endwise jerking motion is imparted .to the table in the direction of the arrows 2 by a cam D rotated by a driven pulley E, and a strong spring F acts in the opposite direction to the cam. A stream of water from a ipe G is distributed from a channel H perforated as at H so as to flow across the table in the direction of the arrows 1. At the discharge side of the table is one launder J while a second launder K at the end of the table receives the longitudinal discharge. The mineral may be oiled in the manner before indicated or according to any of the lmown means, and the pulp mass is fed a suitable distributer, if required, on to the surface of the table A. Directly the oiled particles, having come int-o contactwith air arrive on the water surface, they float for a sufficiently long eriod in the direction of the arrows 1 and t us permit of their separation and recovery in the launder or receptacle J; while the gangue sinks through the film of aqueous liquid and in consequence of the 'vanning motion imparted to the table works forward in the direction of the arrows 2 and is collect In order to expose the pulp to the air as much as possible the surface of the table may be corru-. gated as at A or a series of steps such as A A may be formed thereon. Or a series of raised surfaces M placed at a suitable angle to the forward travel of'the submerged articles may be formed on the surface of t e table, over which the submerged particles are forced to climb by virtue of the forward jerking motion, and by these means any oiled particle which may have escaped air contact is caused to come into such contact. If reuired guiding ribs A may'be attached, to direct the gangue to the launder K.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the varming table is arranged as described with reference to Fig. 1 without the arts A, A A but if desired with longit-u inal ribs A". Above the table is arranged a series of pipes N perforated on the under side, supported by or ties 0 from a framework P or the like. To the pipes N is attached a connecting rod Q reciprocated by a crank Q so that the pipes are moved to and fro above the surface of the table. Air is led into the pipes N through an inlet tube N Should any oiled mineral penetrate the water surface,

ough the water .it will be brought intocontact with air again by the air jets blowing on the surface so as to rupture it'and expose the immersed-oiled particles to the air.

Referring to Fig. 3, the continuous inclined concave belt R passing over the rollers R is driven upwards on the top side in the direct-ion of the arrows 3; then it passes down through a trough S containing water.

The rollers R are carried in a frame R pivoted at R about the longitudinal axis and f ward by the streaminto the launder in the direction of the arrow 4; while the unoiledparticles sink and are carried up by the belt in the direction of the arrows 3, and dis- '1' charged into the trough S. As the belt rocks or reciprocates, the liquid moves from sideto side, and at each movement leaves some mineral freely exposed to the air on the side i of the belt. Thus, any immersed oiled particles become exposed to a free air surface and on the return of theliquid are floated off and carried down into the launder W. The inclination of the belt must be so regulated that no sands are mechanically carried off with the concentrates.

Any apparatus suitable for the separation of floating from immersed solid particles may be used to efi'ect the separation according to this invention. The water used to form the water surface may conveniently be slightly acid or in certain cases slightly alkaline, pro vided that the alkalinity is not suficient to affect the surface-tension.

The flotation power exerted in the method above described is so considerable that aggre gations of heavy oiled mineral particles may be observed float-ing upon the surface of the water, (more or less self-adherent) and exhibiting a concave or boat-like formation upon the surface of the water, due to the great specific gravity of the mineral particles which in consequence of their oiled surfaces are yet unable to break thrcugh the water surface.

We are aware that gases have been used prev ously for the se aration of oiled mineral particles from unoi ed particles when im-- mersed beneath the surface of an a ueous hquid. This has been effected by t e attachment of gas bubbles (preferably generated in the liquid 7). e. in an acid condition) whereby the mineral particles are raised to the surface by means of the buoyancy of the gas bubbles adheringto the particles. It is to be clearly understood that our method of separation does not take place beneath the evateea water surface but depends solely on the flotation of previously oiled particles which have been brought into contact with air or other gas and then introduced upon the water surface.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is metalliferous matter from gangue which consists in mixing the powdered mineral with water to form a freely flowing pulp. agitating the mineral mlp with a small quantit of oi sufiicientonly to impart a thin coating of oil to the metalliferous particles. distributing the mixture in the form of a thin sheet of flowing liquid, causing the immelsed particles to be exposed to the air and thereafter to meet the surface of the liquid, collecting the floating oiled metalliferous particles and collecting the gangue which sinks.

2. The process of treating ores to separate I metalliferous matter frolngangue which cong sists in mixing the powdered mineral with water to form a freel flowing pulp. agitating the mineral mlp with a small quantity of on sutlicient only to impart a thin coating of oil to the metalliferous particles distributing the mixture in the form of a thin sheet of flowing I liquid. directing currents of air on to. the 1. The process of treating ores to separate hquid to expose the immersed mineral to the air. whereby the oil-coated metalliferous particles float. collecting the floating oiled metalliferous particles and collecting the gangue which sinks.

In testimon whereof we have signed our names to. this specification 1n the presence of two subscribing witnes es.

HENRY LIYIXGSTOXE SUJIAX. HIGH FITZALIS KIRKPATRICK-PICARD. JOHN BALLOT.

'itnesses:

\YILLIAM H. BALLANTYNE, W. W. WEBsTER. 

